Hare Force
Hare Force is a 1944 Warner Bros. cartoon in the Merrie Melodies series, directed by Friz Freleng and starring Bugs Bunny and an old lady. Although the title is an obvious play on Air Force, the cartoon's plot has nothing to do with the military. The unit of Friz Freleng was the first unit besides Bob Clampett to use the definite design. Freleng made a slight modification, while this cartoon was in production. "As Time Goes By" is sung in this short by Sylvester and Bugs at different points. Plot On a cold and snowy night, Bugs wangles his way into the good graces, and more importantly, the house, belonging to an old lady (voiced by Bea Benaderet). Sylvester, her dog (voiced by writer Tedd Pierce), takes an instant dislike to the Bunny, and most of the cartoon is spent with the two tricking each other into going outside the house and getting locked out. Finally they get into a schtick where they are each throwing the other out the front door in turn, in quick succession. The old lady, fed up with all the bickering by now, intervenes (out of frame) and tells them both to get out, when suddenly she is thrown out, startled and indignant. Bugs and the dog have made peace, and are lazing by the fire. Bugs turns to the audience and says, in typical fashion, "Gee, ain't I a stinker?" Gallery 'Lobby Cards' 'Screencaps' Trivia * Sylvester the Dog here is not to be confused for Sylvester the Cat, who would debut the following year in Life With Feathers. Sylvester the Dog here is actually Willoughby the Dog, albeit renamed. Willoughby, who had previously appeared in 6 cartoons before this (Of Fox and Hounds, The Crackpot Quail, The Heckling Hare, Nutty News, The Hep Cat, An Itch in Time) was also renamed differently in The Hep Cat (as Rosebud) and An Itch in Time (as Rover). * The background music score used in the scene when Bugs and Sylvester throw each other out of the house is the exact same one as heard in a scene from Brother Brat during the part where Baby Butch chases Porky Pig around the house with a meat cleaver. * The plot of this cartoon was later reworked four years later as Kit For Cat (1948). Censorship * The version of this cartoon that aired on TBS cut the part where, as Sylvester the Dog is sobbing over melting the snowman likeness of Bugs, believing he killed him, Bugs says, "You're really in a jam now, Doc. It's the hot seat for you, sure."Censored Looney Tunes: Hare Force Availability *VHS - Cartoon Moviestars: Starring Bugs Bunny! *Laserdisc - Cartoon Moviestars: Bugs Bunny Classics: Special Collector's Edition *Laserdisc - The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Vol. 3, Side 2: Bugs Bunny *VHS - Bugs Bunny Collection: Bugs Bunny: Hollywood Legend *DVD - Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3, Disc One References External links * Hare Force at SuperCartoons.net * Hare Force at B99.TV * Category:Shorts Category:Vitaphone short films Category:Warner Bros. shorts Category:Animated shorts Category:Films Category:Warner Bros. Cartoons Category:Merrie Melodies shorts Category:Merrie Melodies Category:Bugs Bunny shorts Category:Bugs Bunny Category:Directed by Friz Freleng Category:1940s shorts Category:1940s films Category:1940s Category:Willoughby Category:Willoughby shorts Category:Warner Bros. Animation Category:Leon Schlesinger Studios Category:1944 films Category:1944 shorts Category:Looney Tunes Category:Looney Tunes shorts Category:1944 Category:Story by Tedd Pierce Category:Written by Tedd Pierce Category:Animation by Manuel Perez Category:Animated by Manuel Perez Category:Voice Characterizations by Mel Blanc Category:Voices by Mel Blanc Category:Voiced by Mel Blanc Category:Voice Characterizations by Tedd Pierce Category:Voices by Tedd Pierce Category:Voiced by Tedd Pierce Category:Music by Carl Stalling Category:Musical Direction by Carl Stalling Category:Musical Direction by Carl W. Stalling Category:Leon Schlesinger Productions Category:Produced by Leon Schlesinger